Positive variable-speed transmission



Nov, 22, 1927.

M. JAEGER POSITIVE VARIABLE SPEED TRANSMISSION Filed April 15. 1925 7 Sheets-Sheet 1v INVETOR WITNESSES\1": v waml, {41

ATTORNEYS M. JAEGER POSITIVE VARIABLE SPEED TRANSMISSION 7 Sheets-Swat 2 Filed April 15. 1925 W INVENTOR er 3' f Y .AITORNEYS WITNESSES Nov, 22, 39%2].

M. JAEGER FOSITIVE VARIABLE SPEED TRANSMISSION Filed April 15. 1925 '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. 22, 1927.

M. JAEGER POSITIVE VARIABLE SPEED TRANSMISSION Filed April 15. 1925 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 ,1, f LUZ? Nam 22, E

M. JAEGER POSITIVE VARIABLE SPEED TRANSMISSION Filed April 15. 1925 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR Max M74971 ATTORNEYS :WITNESSES MWKM Nam. 22, 3927 M. JAEGER POSITIVE VARIABLE SPEED TRANSMISSION- FileciApril 15. 1925 7 sheets-sheet e WITNESSES ATTOkNEY-S M. JAEGER POSITIVE VARIABLE SPEED TRANSMISSION Filed April 15. 1925 7Sheets-Sheet 7 Illll flllll 111i llllllllll mnfi'n m mm rn m div? WITNESSES w INVENTOR ATTORNEYS ll otented Nov. 22, ill.

MAX JAEGETL, h ASEGEHA, NEW YURI K.

Application filed our 15, 1925. Serial No. 23,315.

This invention relates to power trans mission mechanism and particularly to variable soeed transmission mecluinism having as one oi its objects to obtain a positive variable speed transmission of power.

Another object of the invention is to provide a power transmission wherein there Will be positive drive during the variation of speed.

Another object, more specifically 15 to provide e device wherein :1 continuous speed variation between two extremes is provided while keeping the constont speed shaft and the Vallitblfi speed sholt slvvoys positively 1 connected While one drives the other.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a veriohle speed trhnsmission which may he huilt in which will eliminate ell friction transmis- 1% sion of power.

in the accompanying drewings- Figure l is e longitudinal sectional view through Figure 2 on line l-l, the some disclosing the working ports of one embodiment otthe invention.

Figure 9; is or horizontal sectional view through Figure l on line .ldigure 3 is e fragmentary sectional view through Figure 2 online 3-4).

Figure 4 is a sectional view throughhigure ,2 on line H, the some osing on u re duced scale. s

Figure 5 is a detail fragmentary sectional view through Figure l on line 5-43.

Figure 8 is a diagram of the structure shown in Figures 1 and 2 illustrating how the parts may be adjusted to one extreme .position.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 8 but to showing the parts adjusted to the opposite extreme position.

Figure 8 is aview similar to Figure 6 but showing the ports in a different position though with the same adjustmenti' Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8 but showing the ports advanced slightly.

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 8 hutshowing the parts in position wherehy the relative driving and driven elements may W adjusted to chenge the ratio of transmission.

Figure ii is o sectional View similar to part oi: Figure 2 but showing a modified construction illustrating on embodiment of the l invention n l-rich tinny he more practical than that shmvn in ltigzurefi.

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a compact form and Figure 12 is a fragmentary sectional View through Figure 11 on line 12--12.

Figure 13 is anenlarged detail perspective view of one of the gear Wheel carrying blocks. r

Figure 14 is a horizontal sectional view with certain parts in elevation illustrating another embodiment of the invention to that shown in Figures 1 and IL, the same being taken approximately on line leti l of Figwe 15.

Figure 15 is o sectional view through Figure 14. on line iii--15.

Figure 16 is a fragmentary sectional vievv through Figure 15 'on line Lil-16.

Figure 17 is e detail fragmentary sectional view through Figure 16, approximately on line 17-l7.

Figure 18 is a detail fragmentary view in diagram showing how a plurality of gears may be used.

Figure 19 is a side view in diagram of the structure shown in Figure 18. Figure 20 is a detail fragmentary sectional view through Figure 2 on line 2020.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals, 1 indicates a casing in which most of the parts of the device are mounted. The casino 1 is provided with journal boxes 2, 2', 3 and 3. The journal boxes 3 and 3 accommodate the driving shaft 4 and the driven shaft 5 respectively While the box 2 accommodates the threaded sleeve 6 which is slidingly mounted therein and box 2 occommodates a sleeve '7 sliding'ly mounted therein. lhe sleeves 6 and 7 are held against rotation by keys 8 and?) operating in grooves 10 and 11. A worm Wheel 12 is threoded onto sleeve 6 and Worm wheel 13 is threaded onto sleeve 7, said Worm Wheels meshing continually with the Worms i l and 15 (Figure 4) which worms are rigidly secured to a shaft 16 supported in suitable bearing boxes 17 and 18 forming part of the casing 1. A

hand wheel 19 is connected toshaft 16 ne'er one end and at e convenient point between the ends a pointer 20 is connected to shaft 16, said pointer being adapted to move over a dial 21 for indicating the degree of r0- tetion oi shaft 16. Associated With the sleeve 6 is a variable scale 22 rigidly secured to part of the casino 1. said scale co-actin'g with the pointer 23 rigidly secured in any desired manner to sleeve 6. ln respect to the sleeve 7 a pointer :24 is connected thereto ooacting with e varioble scale 25 rigidly selilo cured to casing 1 in any desired ma] ner These scales and pointers act to show the relative position not only of thexsl eeves 6 and 7 but the relative diameters of what ma be termed the driving wheel 26and the drlven wheel 27. y

The driving shaft 4 may be connected to a source of power in any suitable manner, as for instance, through the gear wheel 28, while shaft 5 may be connected to any suitable machinery to be driven by gear wheel 29. As indicated in Figures 1 and 2, a certain specific structure has been shown for the variable transmission of power with a positive drive while in Figures 11 and 14 modified structures of the same idea are shown. It is to be understood that other forms of the inventive idea may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention as long as a positive connection is maintained between the driven and driving members and a variable adjustment also provided. The shaft 4 is keyed or otherwise rigidly secured to the hub 30 of wheel 26 while shaft 5 is keyed or otherwise rigidly secured to the hub 31 of wheel 27. Arranged on the wheel 26 are a number of small gear wheels 32 and arranged on the wheel 27 are a number of similar small gear wheels 33. An endless chain 34 is fitted onto the respec- -tive wheels 26 and 27 as shown in Figure 1,

said chain being of the well known silent I type with a proper pitch to properly engage the teeth of gears 32 and 33, which teeth are also properly pitched to receive the chain 34.

Means have been provided as will hereinafter be described for moving the gears 32 and 33 radially on each of the wheels 26 and 27 and, consequently, the pitched diameter of these wheels will vary but the pitched diameter of the respective gears 32 and 33 will not vary whereby the chain 34 will properly lit the same and produce the desired driving connection. As the wheels 26 and 27 are of identical construction, the description of one will apply to both.

As indicated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the wheel 26 is provided with a side plate 35 which is secured in place by screws or in any other desired manner. ()n the opposite side of the wheel 26 to plate 35 are a lurality of radially extending guides 36 w ich are preferably cast integral with the hub 30 as shown in the drawing. The plate 35 is provided with a radial slot 38 for each of the ides 36, said slots being in line therewith. ountcd on the guides 36 in any desired manner, as for instance, by being screwed thereto. is a plate 39 provided with a short slot 40 for each of the slots 33 as illustrated in Figure l. The plate 39, therefore, overhangs the respective sliding blocks 41 which blocks are provided with pins or shafts 42 either extending into the respective gear wheels 32 as shown at the right in Figure 2,

or entirely therethrough as shown at the left in Figure 2. \Vhere the pinion 43 is small as shown at the right in Figure 2 and also shown in Figure 20, it is preferably made integral with pinion gear 32 and the shown in Figure 3. As shown in this figure,

one of the pinions, namely, pinion 43', is made as a segment because the same is of such large diameter. The various racks 45 are riveted or otherwise rigidly secured to plate 35 so that when the various blocks 41 and their various gears 32 move outwardly or inwardly there will be a rotary motion transmitted to the gears 32 in proportion to the radial movement.

As indicated in Figure 3, there are shown ten gear wheels 32 but it is evident that a greater or less number might be used without eparting from the spirit of the invention. Also, in this figure, it will be noted that the gear wheel 32 is secured by a key 46 to the shaft or pin 42 whereby it cannot rotate ex cept with the entire driving wheel 26. In order to better describe the operation, the various pinions 43 have been indicated by letters in Figure 3 and designated as 43", 43 432 4311,43, 43*. 43 43'', and 43', which letters are also followed in the diagrams shown in Figures 6 to 10 inclusive. Each of the gear wheels 32 is carried by a slidin block 41 and each sliding block is provided with a bifurcated portion at the lower end for accommodating the pivotal pin 47, which pivotally connects the rod 48 with the block, which rod is pivotally connected by a pin 49 to a forked member 50 which is connected or secured to the sleeve 51 in any desired manner. The sleeve 51 is slidably mounted on the shaft 4 and is provided with an annular groove 52 accommodating the annular split plate 53, which plate is rigidly secured to the enlargement 54 of sleeve 6 whereby whenever treme position so that the effective periphery of wheel 27 is at a minimum point while the effective periphery of the driving wheel 26 is at a maximum point and, therefore, the driven shaft 5 will be driven at a maximum speed. By rotating the hand wheel 19, the

inseam same time sleeve 7 moved inwardly so thatv the condition of the driving and driven wheels will gradually become reversed it hand wheel 19 is moved until sleeve 6 is at its outermost position. In order to secure this action, sleeve 6 is preferably provided with a right hand thread and sleeve 7 is preferably provided with a left hand thread though the reverse could be true without changing the invention. it will be noted that the hand 'wheel 19 may be moved a fraction of a revolution or as many revolutions desired and, consequently, the effective periphery oi. the wheels 26 and 27 may he changed very slightly or changed appre; ciably. Ordinarily, the driving shaft 4 is rotated at a constant speed and it it should be desired to decrease the speed of shaft 5 slightly, the movement of the hand wheel 19 would be very small but if it should be desired that the shaft 5 rotate at the samev speed as shaft 4, hand wheel 19 will be given several revolutions or untilthe effective periphery of the wheels 26 and 27 is the same, that is, both wheels would have the same diameter. It will be noted that as one wheel increases in diameter the other decreases and, consequently, as one wheel requires more of the chain 34 the other gives up or relinquishes some of the chain and, consequently, the chain will always remain in proper operative position regardless of the respective diameters of the respective wheels so that there willbe always a positive connection between the driving and driven shafts and. therefore, there will be a positive drive at all times regardless of the speed of the parts.

In increasing and decreasing the diameter, of the respective wheels, the distance apart of the respective gear wheels 32 will vary sometimes a small part of a link of chain 34 and other times a distance equal to one or more links. As the chain cannot stretch it is, therefore, necessary to make provision for adjusting the relative position of the various gear wheels 32 to compensate for the distance between the gear wheels as they are moved inwardly or outwardly. In Figure 3, a compensating mechanism is shown which consists of the various racks 45 meshing with the various pinions 43. If the various pins or shafts 42 are moved radially outwardly from the position shown in Figure 3 until the distancebetwecn the respective gears 32 has been increased the distance of one of the links of chain 34, a corresponding compensation must be made. As the gear wheel 32 (Figure 3) cannot rotate, it merely moves outwardly radially and as pinion 43 moves outwardly radially, it will rotate partially and will thereby partially rotate the gear wheel 32 connected there with, said rotation being exactly suh'icient to compensate for the distance of one link of chain 34. At the same time that this takes place, pinion 43 will rotate its gear 32 so as to compensate for the distance of two links. This distance may he termed one unit of movement of the various gears 32 and, consequently, it will be noted that all of the gear wheels 32. must rotate one unitadditional from pinion 43 to pinion 43.

two units and so on around to'pinion l3 which Wlll rotate nine units. One unit has been described as a distance of one link but it is evident that if the wheels 32 are moved radially for a distance to so I arate the same Pinion 43 will move one unit, pinion 43* will move for more than a distance 0' a link or less but they are rotated to keep their proper relationship during adjustment. In regard to the, gear wheels 33 of the driven wheel 37, it will bao't course, evident that the action therein will be a reverse as just described as these gear wheels will move toward the center of the wheel /in proportion to the outward movement of the gear wheels 32.

in Figure 6, a diagram is presented which shows the relative position of the various gear wheels and how they rotate when being shifted. It the device is standing still and the parts are in the position shown in Figure 6; the driving wheel 26 may be enlarged to any extent up to its full limit and the driving wheel 27 may be reduced to its'f'ull extent as shown in Figure 7. "lit will he noted that the stationary gears 32" and 33 are located between the respective diverging lines 55 and 56 and that while located in this manner any desired adjustment may be secured. However. if the respective wheels 26 and 27 are rotated until the parts assume the position shown in Figure .8, no adjustment can be made as a proper compensation would not be provided on both sides of the gear wheel 33 though the rear wheel 32" is still in condition 'fsupermit adjustment.

\Vhen thc'parts are tight}? moved until they assume the position shown in Figure 9, both of the stationary gear wheels 32 and 33 are positioned so that. an adjustment cannot be theparts assume gear wheel 32 is between the lines 58. It i the wheels are rota-ting and an adjustment is attempted when the partsnre in the position shown in Figure 6, a slight ad ustment will be made as the parts will move radially and the compensating mechanism will properly function until one of the wheels 32 or 33 moves out of the angle provided by the respective lines and 56. If the parts while the device is running and the driven shaft caused to gradually increase or de crease in speed to suit the requirements. In Figures 11 and 12 will be seen a modified form of the invention which utilizes the same principle as shown in Figures 1 and 2 but probably presents a more practical structure. In this form of the invention, instead of having the compensating mechanism formed as shown in Figure 3,'namely, with the racks 45 and associated parts, a shaft 59 is provided for each of the gear wheels 32, said shaft having a reduced flattened extension 60 slidingly fitted into the grooves 61 of plate 62, which plate is carried by the sleeve 51. Each of the shafts 59 is provided with a spiral groove 63 accommodating a spiral thread or bead 64 extending mto the bore of wheel 32. It will be understood that each of the spirals 63 will have a different pitch so that upon the movement of the disk 62 a given distance, each of the gear wheels 32 will rotate a different distance or (iii ferent unit of rotation as heretofore described, namely, one unit rotation of the gear wheel next to the stationary gear 32', two units for the next gear wheel and so on for the remaining gear wheels. It will be, of course, understood that as the blocks 41 and the various gear wheels 32 move outwardly or inwardly radially, the neck 60 will slide in the slot 61 but by reason of the flattened portions of the neck, the respective shafts 59 cannot rotate. I

In Figures 14 to 17 inclusive, another embodiment of the invention is shown wherein the structure is such that the respective stationary gears 32' and 33' will come opposite each other orwithin the angles provided by the lines 55 and 56 upon each rotation or less than a rotation. In order to accomplish this. a driving wheel 26 is arranged in line with the driven wheel 27 and mounted upon a stationary shaft 65. The chain 34' runs over the driving wheel 26 and over a small gear wheel 66 while a chain 34 runs over the driven wheel 27 and a small gear wheel 67. The gear wheels 66 and 67 are connected respectively to the shafts 68 and 69 and said shafts carry meshing gears 70 and 71 respectively whereby wheel 27 will be rotated in a reverse direction to wheel 26. If it should be desired that they operate inthe same direction gear wheels 70 and 71 could be eliminated and the shafts 68 and 69 directly connected. The wheels 26 and 27 are made identical with the showing in Figures 1 and 2 except that they are both free to rotate on the same shaft 65. As the respective wheels 26 and 27 are increased and decreased in diameter, there will be provided slack in the chains 34 and 34. To accommodate or compensate for this slack, pinions 72 and 73 are provided and maintained in continuous mesh with the. chains 34 and 34". Each of these pinious is carried by a shaft 74 (Figure 17) which is rigidly secured to the sliding block 75, said block being slidingly mounted in a guiding standard 76. An extension 77 projects from block and carries a pin 78 which extends through a suitable slot 79 in the lever 80. The structure just described is true in respect to both of the wheels 72 and 73 but the parts are so arranged that the gear wheel 72 will be up when the gear wheel 73 is down. A journal member 81 rockably supports the member 80 on a suitable support 82. An arm 83 is rigidly secured to the journal member 81 which. in turn is rigidly secured to member 80. The arm 83 is provided with a slot 84. which slot accommodates the reduced extension 85 of the arm 86. The arm 86 is supported by a vertical support 87 which supports the arm 86 in such a manner as to allow it to freely swing in a horizontal plane. The end opposite the reduced extension 85 is formed with a slot 88 which accommodates the pin 89 extending from one end of the bifurcated arm 90 of the lever 91, which lever is supported on a vertical standard 92 whereby it may swing in a horizontal plane. The end of arm 91 opposite the bifurcated arm 90 carries a segmental rack 93 which continually meshes with a worm 94 carried by shaft 95. \Vhen the hand wheel 96 is operated, the various parts are caused to function so that arm 91 will swing and move the divided sleeve 51 for causing the various blocks 41 to be moved outwardlv or inwardly radially on the re- Inn spective wheels 26 and 27 and at the same time swing the arm 86 so as to" shift the pinions 72 and 73 upwardly or downwardly in a proper proportion to compensate for the slack of either of the chains as shown in Figure 15. By reason of his construction and arrangement, the stationary gears 32' and 33' are brought opposite each other upon each revolution or 'on less than a revolution of one of the wheels and, consequently, there will be a short period when these wheels are in line when an adjustment may be secured to vary the diameter of the respective wheels.

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llnder some circumstances it may be de sirable to use a plurality of rows of gear wheels 32, as for instance, the two rows illustrated particularly in Figure be noted that the various gear wheels accommodate a single chain and that one set of wheels 32 is arranged in the space between the other whereby the polygon efiect or position of the chain is reduced to a minimum.

as the same passes around the driving wheel 26, while, therefore, a greater ratio can be edected, .lhe sleeve 51 is divided so the respective parts may independently to "late but must slide longitudinally oi shaft simultaneously.

By the various constructions submitted, several diderent embodiments of the inven tion have been shown all illustrating the variable speed transmission which always maintains what is commonly known as a continuous drive even is being changed. As heretofore described, the drlvin element may be gradually reducedin edective diameter while the driven element is gradually increased in eiiective diameter and while this is taking place the chain will continue to transmitpower from one to the other and thereby produce a con tinuous drive even during the adjustment of the parts. he the parts are adjusted, the speed variation will be continuous in the or; dinary accepted sense though if analyzed exactly, it would be iound thatthere is a step by step increase and decrease which is while the speed ratio so small that for practical purposes it is continuous. in this sense, a continuous speed variation is possible and at the same drive is provided.

What 1 claim is 1. ll. positive variable speed transmission device, comprising a driving element, a driven element, each element being formed with a plurality of toothed wheels, a chain fitting over said toothed wheels for connectingsaid driving and driven elements so that power will be transmitted from one to the Ether, and manually actuated means for driven elements justin said. driving and drlven element whereby the speed of the will be varied said manually actuated means including a gear for each toothed wheel, said gears being of difl'erent sizes and a stationary rack continually meshing with said gears, said. adjusting means an narts associated therewith functioning wit out disconnecting the chain from said toothed wheels, and means acting to lock said toothed wheels against independent rotation except when said manually actuated means is functioning.

2. A speed transmission device, comprising a casing, a toothed driving member mounted in said casing, a toothed driven member mounted in said casing, *a shaft extending into the casing for driving said 18. n will that driving member, a shaft extending from said casin and connected with said driven member L01 transmitting power therefrom, a chain for operativeh connecting said drivingand driven mem ers so that the driving member will move the driven member, means for expanding and contracting said toothed members, and means for diflerentially shifting the position of theresnective teeth of the toothed members as sai members are an pended and contracted whereby said chain will always properly engage the teeth at aidmembers. a

3. A lvariable s eedtransniission device, comprising a driving element formed with a lurality ot toothed wheels, a driven element ormed with a plurality of toothed wheels, an endless chain fitted onto said wheels for transmitting power ment to the driven element, means for very til from the driving elei ing the, diameter of said wheels so as to vary relatively stationary rack continually mesh ing with each of said gear members.

4. A variable speed transmission device, comprising a driving element including a wheel provided with a plurality of independent gears, a driven element including a wheel provided pendent gears, an endless chain fitted onto said wheels and running over the gears of the respective wheels, manually actuated means for moving the gears on one wheel radially outwardly and moving the gears on the other wheel radially inwardly for chang' ing the speed ratio without afi'ecting the action'of Said chain, said manually actuated means including a gear member rigidly secured to each of said toothed wheels and rotatable therewith, said gear,,.wheels being of difierent sizes, and a radially extending relatively stationary rack continually meshing with each of said gear members.

5. A. variable speed transmission device, comprising a driving element and a driven clement, each of said elements being provided with a plurality of independent gears mounted thereon, means tor moving the gears on each element iadially, a chain mounted to travel over the gears of the re spective elements so as to transmit power from one element to the other, and means for rotating independently in either direction said gears on each 0 said elements when the gears are moved radially so as to compensate for the change in'pitched die anieter of thearespective elements, said means including a toothed member of a ditterent size secured to each cl said gears an compensating .for the,

with a plurality of inded we a relative stationary rack meshing with each of said toothed members.

6. A variable speed transmission, comprising a driving element'and a driven element, each of said elements being provided with a plurality of radially movable blocks, manually actuated means for moving said blocks outwardly or inwardly on each of said elements, a gear wheel rotatably mounted on each of said blocks, means for preventing each of said gear wheels from rotating independently except when moved radially, an endless chain mounted on said driving and driven elements and interlocking with said gears as said elements rotate, and means for causing the desired rotation of each of said gears independently as the gears are moved radially to compensate for the distance between the respective gears and thereby cause the chain to always substantially accurately fit the gears as the effective diame ters of the respective driving and driven elements are changed, said last mentioned means including a toothed member rigidly secured to each of said gear wheels, said toothed members being of differentsizes and a relatively stationary rack meshing with each of said toothed members whereby as said blocks are moved radially the toothed members will cause the gearwheels to be rotated at difi'erentdistances vto properly compensate for the change in distance between the gear Wheels.

7. A variable speed transmission device, comprising a driving element and a driven element, each of said elements being provided with a plurality ofradially movable gears, said gears being always maintained in a circle, a rod associated with each of said gears, a sliding sleeve for each of said elements, said sleeves being connected to one end of the respective rods of the respective elements, manually actuated means for moving said sleeves so that said rods will cause the gear wheels to move radially inwardly and outwardly, an endless chain mounted on said gear wheels to transmit power from the driving element to the driven element, and means for preventing independent rotation of said gears except when they are moved radially, said means acting to independently rotate the gears in the proper proportion to compensate for the diiference in distance between the respective gears and thereby cause said chain to always function properly, said last mentioned means including a toothed member rigidly secured to each of said gear wheels, said toothed members being of different sizes and a relatively stationary rack meshing with each of said toothed members whereby as said blocks are moved radially the toothed members will cause the gear wheels to be rotated at difierent distances to properly compensate for the change in distance between the gear wheels.

8. A- variable speed transmission device, comprising a driving element, a driven element, an endless chain mounted on said elements for transmitting power from one element to the other, each of said elements being provided with a plurality of gear wheels arranged in a circle, said chains being mounted to operate on said gear wheels, means ,for moving said gear wheels radially, means acting as a pinion connected with each of said gear wheels, and a rack stationary in respect to the gear wheels continually meshing with said pinions, said pinions being of diiferent sizes to cause a proper rotation of the gear wheels as they are moved outwardly and inwardly whereby the distance between the respective gear wheels will be compensated in respect to the chain to cause the chain to properly, fit the teeth of the gear wheels.

MAX JAEGER. 

